Arts & Entertainment

Best Dog Run New York 2002 - FIRST RUN

Carol Vinzant's apartment is equidistant between Tompkins and Washington squares, but there's no mystery where her allegiance lies. "The Tompkins run is bigger and more friendly," says Carol, the de facto manager of FIRST RUN. "We're a community." Washington Square has purebreds; Tompkins has mutts. And a newsletter (The Scoop), dog-themed picnic tables, and a Halloween parade. If you can't run with the big dogs, First Run even has a separate section for wee ones. And unlike Washington Square, there's nary a tourist or pot dealerwell, not as many, anywayin sight.